


Bravery vs. Cowardice

by parseltonquinq



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: High School AU, M/M, Muggle AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-12 00:38:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5647558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parseltonquinq/pseuds/parseltonquinq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco, class President and Quarterback for the football team, finds himself falling in love with Harry - a boy who only knows how to destroy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bravery vs. Cowardice

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted to my Tumblr as a picfic.

Draco ran his fingers through his hair, tugging harshly at the locks. He needed to feel something - anything - to assure him that this was real. His heart was slamming against his ribs, desperate to escape, and the relentless thudding was all that kept him anchored to the ground.

The gym door slammed open and he heard footsteps echoing across the parking lot. Draco knew who it was before the rough, insouciant voice broke the sound of Draco's desperate pants.

"What the fuck was that, Draco?" Harry demanded.

Draco glanced up at him, feeling his heart become bruised and battered at the sight of the boy. With his windblown, soot hair and shadowed, angled face, Draco had always thought he looked like an avenging angel. Harry's viridescent eyes bore into Draco with a fierce intensity that he didn't think he'd ever get used to.

"I can't do this," Draco gasped, hating how uneven his voice was. "I hate watching you dancing with her and putting your arm around her. I hate having to pretend like I'm _enjoying myself_."

"This was your idea, not mine." Harry leaned against the nearest car and lit a stoge, avoiding Draco's gaze.

Anger flared in his chest, prompting Draco to stomp over to Harry and grab the cigarette. He threw it on the ground, ignoring Harry's protests, and rubbed it out. His silver eyes met Harry's emerald ones and both held defiance.

"I refuse to watch you exhale your life," he snarled.

"Then look away."

"I don't want to." Draco grabbed Harry's wrist, ceasing his effort to reach for another cigarette. When he spoke, his voice was steady. "You can't expect me to just stand by and let you _kill yourself_ and beat yourself raw when you look at me like... like..."

"Like what?" Harry asked icily, still attempting to wrestle his hand free. The callousness in Harry's voice caused something inside of Draco to snap.

" _Like I'm the only thing you can see!"_ He blurted out, " _Like I'm actually important and that I actually mean something to you!_ " Draco felt his body go slack and his eyes moisten. His heart clenched. "You can't look at me like that and expect me not to fall in love with you," he whispered. "It's not fair."

Harry's eyes were wide and he was staring at Draco with a combination of wonder and terror. His chapped lips were parted and Draco could hear his soft, panting breaths - they were nearly as erratic as his own. Finally, he clenched his jaw and let his emotionless mask slide back into place.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry finally choked out, steeling his gaze and looking away.

Draco felt as if he'd just been stabbed. He wondered if this was how Harry's opponents felt after each fight. His throat tightened and he scrunched his eyes shut, feeling his heart contract painfully.

"You are a coward," he forced out. "You know how you feel and you're scared. You're scared of giving someone that sort of power over you. But you know what? So am I. But I shoved that fear away and told you how I felt and you threw it back in my face. _You. Are. A. Coward._ "

Harry's eyes flashed with anger and he placed his hands on Draco's chest, attempting to shove him away. "You don't know anything about me, Malfoy," he hissed.

Ignoring the hurt that coursed through him, Draco pushed on. "I know that you're scared." He furiously wiped the salty tears from his cheeks. "But I'm asking you to be brave. I love you so much, Harry. So be brave and... and love me back."

Harry's eyes finally met Draco's and they were filled with uncertainty. His hands stopped trying to shove him away and instead formed fists in the front of his tuxedo, pulling Draco against him roughly. Their mouths met with a bruising pressure and Draco let out a choked sob, reaching up to knot his fingers in Harry's hair. He could taste his tears on Harry's tongue, mingling with the bitterness of the cigarette.

"God dammit," Harry muttered. He pulled back and gazed at Draco's face - puffy eyes, tear-stained cheeks, swollen lips, and all - with a look of awe. His thumb brushed gently against Draco's lip. "You're so fucking dangerous for me." Draco gulped down his panting breaths and blinked away remaining droplets. "You'll destroy me."

"Love isn't destruction, Harry," Draco whispered, running his fingers across Harry's sharp cheekbones. "I'll prove it to you. I promise." 

 

 

 


End file.
